Red Sox struggles show up in ratings, too

The Boston Red Sox, who have led major league baseball in local market ratings the past six years, have plummeted to fifth this year, according to John Ourand of SportsBusiness Journal.

Red Sox telecasts on the New England Sports Network generated an average rating of 6.25, a 36 percent drop from last year, the Journal reported. The St. Louis Cardinals have moved atop the list of local ratings (9.70), followed by the Minnesota Twins (7.85), Philadelphia Phillies (7.20) and Cincinnati Reds (6.52).

The New York Yankees on YES Network rank 12th in local rating 4.38, a 5 percent drop from a year ago), the Journal pointed out, but they have a large lead in total number of households (328217), easily outdistancing the runner-up Mets (243,540). That obviously is a byproduct of market size.